European Elections

[mb1]

Whereami - I might a if I thought the anti-EU crowd would agree with you if I thought the anti-EU crowd would accept the result. But they don't. There was an in-out referendum which the 'ins' won handily in the 1970s, and the opponents of the EU have never accepted the result. They won't accept any referendum result except one they win. So it would settle nothing since there is actually precious little chance the anti- camp would win.

[Steve]

There was an in-out referendum which the 'ins' won handily in the 1970s, and the opponents of the EU have never accepted the result.

The referendum was on membership of the EEC, or Common Market - not the EU. They are different beasts.

[mb1]

Steve, that is a myth peddled by Eurosceptics. The stated purpose of the European project was 'ever closer union' from 1957 onwards.

[Steve]

Steve, that is a myth peddled by Eurosceptics. The stated purpose of the European project was 'ever closer union' from 1957 onwards.

The question on the ballot paper was: "Do you think that the United Kingdom should remain part of the European Community (the Common Market)?"

In the intervening period the the constitution has changed, The European Community is no more and we are now a member of the European Union. The people voted in 1975 to remain a part of the European Community, not the re-constituted successor we now know as The European Union. There was no referendum on Maastricht. There was no referendum on Lisbon. Both of these treaties changed Europe from what the electorate sanctioned in 1975.

Forty years ago, no-one could have known what The European Project would become. I'm not even sure there's a defining or legal agreement as to what The European Project is.

Very clearly, the evolution of The European Project has not found favour with large numbers of people across the continent. There are many reasons for that - xenophobia is certainly a part, but more importantly it's about a disconnected political class, a democratic deficit, budgetary failings and overambitious expansion. It stretches credibility that Germany and Greece can perform anywhere near equally or share the same values.

[The Masked Woler]

It seems utterly bizarre that the major parties are now running around trying to win back some of the 5m who voted UKIP rather than trying to persuade some of the 30m who didn't vote at all to do so.

And how around 10% voting anti Europe means the UK is against Europe is beyond me.